Raw Vegan Balls

So I had a wee visit to the Hairdressers and my Hairdresser is awesome. Not only does she do a great job on my hair but she always feeds me. She made me a seriously good cup of coffee and with it came this little ball of pure, healthy joy. Now I am not a sweet tooth but she assured me that I would love everything about this little ball and that it not only tasted amazing but that there was absolutely nothing in it I could or would feel guilty about. Pffffttt. A-MAZING! They came straight out of the freezer and this little sweet, chocolate tasting, snickers-like-nut-crunch ball was the best thing since sliced bread in my opinion. You must make them for your kids, neighbours, relo’s, the school cake stall and so on. I believe I owe a lady called Cathy a big fat round of applause as she shared this recipe with my Hairdresser, who shared this recipe with me and now I am lovingly going to share it with you. With a couple of Em’s Food tweaks of course.

Prep time: 20 Minutes $$ Medium Budget

Makes 14 (and a bit, which is the cooks treat of course)

11/2 cups of Mejool Dates* (pips removed)

1 cup of pitted prunes

1 cup of roasted almonds

1/2 – 1 tsp of vanilla extract (depends how much vanilla you like, I used 1 tsp)

2 tbs of cocoa powder

1/4 cup of pepitas

1/4 cup of chia seeds

1/4 cup of coconut oil

11/2 cups of unsweetened desiccated coconut for rolling

Place all of the ingredients (except the coconut for rolling) in a food processor and blitz until you have a rough, breadcrumb-like consistency.

To make the balls, wet your hands and scoop out a tablespoon of the mixture. Rotate them in your palms so they are nice and tight and then roll them in the coconut. Place them on a lined baking tray and pop them in the freezer for 1 hour. Once they are set you can transfer them to a container or freezer bag and keep them stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, however, they will not last that long. Trust me.

*Mejool Dates are available at Coles, Woolies, Health Food Shops and Gourmet Deli’s. If you can’t get them you may use normal dates but soak them in hot water for 10 minutes before draining the water before use.